ALIGN WITH THE POWERFUL- काकोलुकीयं- PTKU-2

 SUBHASHITHANI:419

A gang of owls attacked some crows in a forest, one night, and killed them all. Because the crows couldn’t see clearly at night, they couldn’t fight back.
The King of the crows was so distressed to hear the news, that he went to his wise old minister for guidance. The minister gave him some advice and sent him back......

सत्याढ्यो धार्मिकश् चार्यो भ्रातृ-सङ्घातवान् बली ।
अनेक-विजयी चैव सन्धेयः स रिपुर् भवेत् ॥ ८ ॥

satyāḍhyo dhārmikaś cāryo bhrātṛ-saṅghātavān balī |
aneka-vijayī caiva sandheyaḥ sa ripur bhavet || 3.8 ||

It is better to make an alliance with an enemy who is truthful, righteous, noble, supported by a huge family, powerful and who has won many battles.

सन्धिः कार्यो ऽप्य् अनार्येण विज्ञाय प्राण-संशयम् ।
प्राणैः संरक्षितैः सर्वं यतो भवति रक्षितम् ॥ ९ ॥
sandhiḥ kāryo 'py anāryeṇa vijñāya prāṇa-saṃśayam |
  prāṇaiḥ saṃrakṣitaiḥ sarvaṃ yato bhavati rakṣitam || 3.9 ||

Alliance with even a wicked enemy is desirable in the event of threat to a king’s life; if the king is protected, the state also is protected.

अनेक-युद्ध-विजयी सन्धानं यस्य गच्छति ।
तत्-प्रभावेण तस्याशु वशं गच्छन्त्य् अरातयः ॥ १० ॥

aneka-yuddha-vijayī sandhānaṃ yasya gacchati |
tat-prabhāveṇa tasyāśu vaśaṃ gacchanty arātayaḥ || 3.10 ||

One who has forged an alliance with a powerful king who has won many battles, by that very fact, will have other enemies coming under his control.

सन्धिम् इच्छेत् समेनापि सन्दिग्धो विजयी युधि ।
न हि सांशयिकं कुर्याद् इत्य् उवाच बृहस्पतिः ॥ ११ ॥

sandhim icchet samenāpi sandigdho vijayī yudhi |
na hi sāṃśayikaṃ kuryād ity uvāca bṛhaspatiḥ || 3.11 ||

One should desire friendship with even one’s equals, since the result of a battle is uncertain; no unnecessary risks should be taken; so counsels Bruhaspati.

सन्दिग्धो विजयो युद्धे जनानाम् इह युद्ध्यताम् ।
उपाय-त्रितयाद् ऊर्ध्वं तस्माद् युद्धं समाचरेत् ॥ १२ ॥

sandigdho vijayo yuddhe janānām iha yuddhyatām |
upāya-tritayād ūrdhvaṃ tasmād yuddhaṃ samācaret || 3.12 ||

Since victory in war is unpredictable, one should not go to war with an equally powerful enemy unless the first three strategies (Saama,dhaana and bheda)have failed.

असन्दधानो मानान्धः समेनापि हतो भृशम् ।
आमकुम्भम् इवाभित्त्वा नावतिष्ठेत शक्तिमान् ॥ १३ ॥

asandadhāno mānāndhaḥ samenāpi hato bhṛśam |
āmakumbham ivābhittvā nāvatiṣṭheta śaktimān || 3.13 ||

Blinded by pride if one goes to war with another, when forcibly struck even by his equal, causes the destruction of both, as does an unbaked earthen pot when struck by another.

समं शक्तिमता युद्धम् अशक्तस्य हि मृत्यवे ।
वृषत्कुम्भं यथा भित्त्वा तावत् तिष्ठति शक्तिमान् ॥ १४ ॥

samaṃ śaktimatā yuddham aśaktasya hi mṛtyave |
vṛṣatkumbhaṃ yathā bhittvā tāvat tiṣṭhati śaktimān || 3.14 ||

Fighting a powerful enemy leads one to annihilation; for the powerful enemy stands unharmed having destroyed his enemy as does a stone after breaking a jar.

 भूमिर् मित्रं हिरण्यं वा विग्रहस्य फल-त्रयम् ।

नास्त्य् एकम् अपि यद्य् एषां विग्रहं न समाचरेत् ॥ १५ ॥

bhūmir mitraṃ hiraṇyaṃ vā vigrahasya phala-trayam |
nāsty ekam api yady eṣāṃ vigrahaṃ na samācaret || 3.15 ||

There are three possible gains from war – land, friendship or riches. If there is no hope of getting at least one of these, going to war is futile.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH